The Deghayes brothers' dad, Abubaker Deghayes, said his boys went to Syria to fight against President Bashar al-Assad’s violent regime. (PA VIDEO/PA Photos /Landov)

He said the brothers' decision to fight in Syria was rooted in his desire to fight against President Bashar al-Assad's violent regime. He called Jaffar's intentions "a young man's attempt — with scarce experience of life — to fight a tyrant (who is) massacring civilians under the watch of the whole world."

Jaffar and Abdullah left for Syria in January with their friend Ibrahim Kamara, 19. Jaffer was just 16 at the time.